Fall enrollment drops 3.5% at Iowa’s public universities

Tuesday, November 5, 2019 3:36 PM

Iowa’s three public universities enrolled 2,732 fewer students in the Fall 2019 semester than during Fall 2018, a 3.5% decrease from a year ago. However, total enrollment is still 3.3% above total enrollment from 10 years ago, according to an enrollment report compiled for the Board of Regents’ meeting scheduled next week. While enrollment has declined for three straight years, the total headcount of 75,128 students represents the sixth-highest enrollment in the history of the regent universities. Year-over-year, Iowa State University had a decrease of 1,601 students (-4.6%); the University of Northern Iowa had a decrease of 715 students (-6.4%) and the University of Iowa had a decrease of 416 students (-1.3%). The percentage of students who identify as a racial or ethnic minority increased to 15.6% of the three universities’ total student population, a record high.